Kids around the country are getting ready to go back to school and their safety is always a top priority.

Las
Vegas, NV; Palo Alto, CA; and Arlington, VA – August 8, 2013 ―
Kids around the country are getting ready to go back to school and their safety
is always a top priority. Back to School is the perfect time for AlertID and
the National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) to offer important tools and tips
for administrators, parents and students to get the school year off to a great
and safe start.

AlertID,
which is a free national service, helps to reduce crime and provides a safe way
for people to receive and share trusted public safety alerts and
information. By providing up-to-the-minute information on crime in many
major cities, fire, sex offenders, severe weather, natural disasters and more,
AlertID is a secure way for neighbors, friends and families to communicate
information that can help them live safely.

“Back to school isn’t just for kids,
it’s for parents, students, administrators, and law enforcement, too,”
said Michelle Boykins, NCPC Senior Director of Communications. “Each of us needs to study these simple
tips below to ensure we help create a safer and more secure environment for our
children.”

AlertID and
the NCPC (Home to McGruff the Crime Dog®), the nation’s leader in crime
prevention, encourage everyone to enroll for AlertID and to review the tips
below to keep kids safe.

Tips for
administrators:

Encourage
students and parents to report to law enforcement and school
administrators any threats to bring weapons or harm others.

Enroll
for AlertID at www.AlertID.com to be
aware of the dangers (crimes and sex offenders) to your students and the
surrounding neighborhood.

Enforce
school policies toward the presence of weapons, alcohol, and illegal
drugs.

Develop
protocols between law enforcement and the school about ways to share
information about school safety concerns.

Insist
that all students put outerwear in their lockers during school hours.

Establish
a policy of positive identification such as ID badges for administrators,
staff, students, and visitors.

Tips for
parents:

Ask
about the safety and emergency plans for your children’s school. How are
local police involved? How are students and parents involved? What
emergencies have been considered and planned for? Create a group on
AlertID with your school administrator to share emergency information with
staff, parents and others via email and push notifications

Talk
to your children about their day. Ask your children if they see anyone
bullied, if they are bullied, or if anything else makes them feel
uncomfortable. Look for warning signs of bullying, such as a sudden drop
in grades, loss of friends, or torn clothing.

If
you see something that is suspicious in your neighborhood, report to local
law enforcement and share updates with your neighbors on AlertID.

Teach
children to resolve problems without fighting. Talk to them about other
ways they can work out a problem, such as talking it out, walking away,
sticking with friends, or telling a trusted adult.

Keep
an eye on your children’s Internet use. Talk to your children about what
they do online – what sites they visit, who they email, and who they chat
with. Encourage them to speak up if something makes them uncomfortable, or
if they witness forms of cyberbullying such as threats or harassment.

Tips for
students:

Map
out with your parents a safe way to walk to school or to the bus stop.
Avoid crossing busy roads and intersections, if possible. Do a trial run
with your parents so that you can discuss areas to avoid along the way,
such as vacant lots, construction areas, and parks where there aren’t many
people.

Discuss
with your parents the trusted adults you should approach if you need to
ask for help along your route to and from school.

Walk
to school or the bus stop with a sibling or friend, and wait at bus stops
with other children.

Follow
traffic signals and rules when walking or biking. You should cross the
street at crosswalks or intersections with crossing guards whenever
possible.

Do
not talk to strangers or people you “sort of know”, and do not go anywhere
with or accept gifts from them without your parents’ permission. If you
see a suspicious stranger hanging around or in your school you should tell
a trusted adult.

Memorize
your phone number and full address, including area code and zip code.
Write down other important phone numbers such as your parents’ work and
cell phone on a card to carry with you.

“Back to
school is an important time for families to discuss safety with their children,
review safety tips and be aware of threats to their children at home and
school,” said
AlertID founder, Keli Wilson.

To sign up
for a free AlertID account, or for more information, please go to www.AlertID.com.

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